6 Facebook Fouls You Love to Hate

It’s the eve of Valentine’s Day and emotions are running high. Listen closely; you can hear the universal sound of pounding hearts and sobbing cries.

From break-ups to make-ups, cupid’s arrows are affecting us all.
When it comes to company Facebook pages, it takes more than chocolates and roses to win fans’ hearts.

Fans want wit, they want humor, they want entertainment – and they’re ready to “unlike” a page as soon as they feel spammed or annoyed.

Speaking of which, there are several annoyances that companies should avoid at all costs.
Without further adieu, here are 6 Facebook Fouls You Love to Hate:

1) THE USE OF STOCK PHOTOS

Fans follow brands on Facebook because they want to stay up-to-date on sales and promotions, new products and services, and other information that they will benefit from. They are not looking for another means to consume advertisements; therefore generic stock photos of random people should be avoided. Fans would rather see creative images of companies’ products or behind-the-scene videos of employees at work. Ditch the stock and go for shock. Fans would rather feel jolted by a company’s imagination than bored by the redundant use of stock photo.

2) THE CONSTANT BEG FOR LIKES

When it comes to love and Facebook love, the same rules apply: fans can sense desperation (and so can your ex-girlfriend). In other words, no one is going to like you if you’re always begging to be liked. Thousands of “likes” on a “LIKE THIS!” Facebook post won’t do anything for a company’s business. Instead, companies should aim to provide compelling content, clever posts and entertaining messages that stimulate engagement in a subtle manner. While the “LIKE THIS!” post will produce strong engagement once in a while, it should not be used regularly. Fans will eventually be annoyed and opt for a brand that posts valuable content instead.

3) THE INAPPROPRIATE ATTEMPT TO PROFIT FROM TRAGEDY

There is nothing more insensitive than a company exploiting a tragic story for their own financial gain. A prime example of this is Kenneth Cole’s infamous tweet in the spring of 2011. When millions were protesting in Cairo, Kenneth Cole took to social media to make light of a pivotal moment in Egypt’s history.

(I know this is not a Facebook post, but it proves this point better than any other post could.) Let this be a lesson to every brand and organization; do NOT joke about a tragic event, EVER.

4) THE OVERUSE OF HASHTAGS

What’s more annoying than a human using hashtags while communicating vocally? A brand overusing hashtags on Facebook. There’s nothing wrong with using one or two hashtags if they're clever, relevant, or add value to a post, but studies show a decrease in fan engagement when more than two hashtags are used.

5) THE SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION

This one goes without saying; fans follow companies for their own personal benefit. As mentioned above, they’re looking for content that adds value to their own lives – not posts that solely serve the company. Before brands post something to Facebook, they should ask themselves, “Does this help my fans?” “Does this provide entertainment?” If not, it’s not worthy.

6) THE AGGREGATION FLOOD

There is nothing wrong with posting another author’s article once in a while, but this should be the exception – not the rule. When a company’s entire Facebook page is flooded with 3rd party content, your (very few) fans will feel frustrated with the lack of organic content and look for a company with a mind of their own. Fans don’t need another stream of jumbled content; they already have their newsfeed for that.

What Facebook fouls do you love to hate? Sound off in the comments below!
And P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day!